Tag Archives: The Test Kitchen

Corona Virus: Lockdown Journey Journal, Day 2 of Level 2, 14 September 2021

 

Tuesday 14 September 2021, Day 2 of Level 2 đŸ˜·

Corona Gratitude 🙏

#grateful for another wonderful day, starting early, so that I could fit in all my work into the morning; for a Bakoven walk; for productive meetings with newkings boutique hotel and Zest; for a quick shop at Woolies in Piazza da Luz; for a lovely outing to Hout Bay with Gary Peterson, invited to attend the preview of Vida Nova Retreat in Hout Bay, a hotel, spa, an indoor and outdoor bar, restaurant, pool, the facilities open to use by locals and hotel guests, invited by Kirsten Reyneke, loving her organizing us each a foot massage at the Spa

 👏 ; for a quick walk on the beach near Continue reading →

South African Restaurants make the World Culinary Awards shortlist, including Utopia Cape Town!

 

For the second year running the World Culinary Awards are being held, celebrating and rewarding excellence. It is a sister event of World Travel Awards.

The 2021 finalists of the World’s Culinary Awards for the African and all other Continents have been announced, an award program which has stretched over the year, culminating in the announcement of the winners on 7 November.

Some of South Africa’s Best restaurants have been nominated, competing against the top Restaurants in Africa. These include Utopia Cape Town,  Wolfgat in Paternoster, Chefs Warehouse at Tintswalo Atlantic, Himitsu at Camps Bay Retreat, and Life Grand CafĂ©, all from the Western Cape. Continue reading →

Very few recent Restaurant openings and closures in Cape Town and Winelands: September 2021

 

Despite the dreadful impact on restaurants of Level 4 during July, no restaurants appeared to have closed.  By the end of September Chef Luke Dale Roberts will have closed all his restaurants. He will consult to Ethos in Johannesburg.

Chef Bertus Basson is on a continuous Restaurant opening spree, having opened Geuwels at Vergenoegd Löw in Stellenbosch at the beginning of this month, with Chef Drikus heading up the kitchen. It is open Wednesdays to Sundays, for Breakfast and Lunch. Continue reading →

The Test Kitchen to close down end September, Third Top 10 Restaurant to close down in 18 months!

 

What a shock announcement it was today: The Test Kitchen, South Africa’s best known restaurant internationally, having climbed up (and down) the World’s 50 Best Restaurants ladder over the past 11 years, and having worn the Best South African Restaurant crown for six years running, until 2017, is to close down at the end of September. This was announced in Cape Town today.

Top Ten restaurants which have also closed down since the beginning of Lockdown are Mosaic at The Orient and Waterkloof.  Ironically both Mosaic and The Test Kitchen announced in 2019 that they would no longer accept nominations for The Eat Out Awards, the 2019 awards being the last to have taken place, due to the Covid pandemic and impact thereof on the restaurant industry since the Lockdown commenced on 27 March 2020.

Continue reading →